Leicestershire CCTV system installed by Central captures one third of all reported crime in first month of full operation
Street crime and the need to monitor public areas led North West Leicestershire District Council to look for an effective CCTV solution.

Following industry advice and consultancy, the council chose Central Security Systems Limited to install a comprehensive solution underpinned by an Integral DVX system from Andover Controls.

Central installed the powerful, application-driven digital solution in three locations across North West Leicestershire – Coalville and Ashby-de-la-Zouch town centres and Agar Nook housing estate, a region that is growing commercially, with many large employers and a buoyant housing market.

Central have eight years of specialist experience working on large security systems nationally. The company installed the solution from beginning to end and incorporated microwave and fibre optic technology to complement the Integral solution.

The system is based on three Integral recorders, a dedicated LAN and hub arrangement and a broadband connection from the control room to the local police headquarters in Enderby.

Authorised operators get faster, easier access to recorded and live video from anywhere on the network or over the internet.

The control room in Coalville allows the local authority to monitor live feeds and recorded images from streets and public places in the region. The images are fed into the DVX system from 27 cameras, each with a level of image resolution suitable for the area being viewed.

Image resolution suited to area
These levels of image resolution are:

  • Super-high quality 'identify' images from cameras covering entrances to popular venues and high street banks

  • High quality 'recognise' images for high crime localities

  • Standard resolution 'deter and detect' images from cameras covering public areas and car parks

The system offers recording and viewing at the same time. Archived images can be found via a Smart Search facility. This allows specific video (such as a door opening) to be identified quickly without needing to view the complete recording.

After just one month of full operation, the system captured one third of all reported crimes in the Coalville area. Of the 39 incidents brought to the attention of officials, 14 were captured by the CCTV system. This led to action being taken in 13 cases with six arrests. Coalville police sgt, Mark Tippin, said recorded crime figures dropped ten per cent during July 2003 compared to July 2002.

Pam Simmonds, community safety officer for North West Leicestershire District Council, said, "The signs are that CCTV will have a real impact on reducing crime in North West Leicestershire."

Councillor Gordon Tacey, chairman of the area CCTV management committee added, "It is good to see that CCTV is aiding the police in the fight against crime. The cameras not only help officers to identify incidents and respond quickly, but also provide evidence that can be used in prosecutions."

The DVX system is expandable and flexible which will allow it to match the region's growth and development and the local authority and the police hope to reduce unsolved street crime for the next Home Office review in 2005.

Source

Security Installer